Days Until Heartbreak/Breaking Away
it's a new age it's a new day i think it's time for me to start breaking away part twenty five of Days Until Heartbreak When I wake up, Ice is still sleeping next to me. Usually he's up and at it whenever I wake up. He looks at peace, his eyes closed, his face free of the stress I've seen in the past few days. I wonder what Ice used to do before he met me. What any cat used to do before all of this happened. If I lived a normal life, what would I'' do instead of being part of a group? I shake away the thoughts and stretch. I hadn't even realized that I had fallen asleep in Ice's den. I had originally planned on heading back to the Alcove for a rest before coming back to see what I should do with Ice. Yesterday, he told me that we should try harder to keep our relationship going and ignore all the interruptions in between that he told me ''would happen. I'm not sure how I feel about that but I agreed anyways. Ice stirs suddenly. "Is it morning already?" he murmurs groggily. "Yeah," I blink, "it's dawn." Ice shoots out of his nest. I stumble back in surprise and he shakes out his fur, embarrassed. "Sorry," he mumbles, "I just remembered I had something to deal with." Before I can say anything, he adds. "Though I think it can wait for a few days." He doens't look regretful as he says this, just a bit resigned. But he also looks determined to follow through with his words. "Where have you been staying for the past few days?" "At the Alcove," I tell him, "Do you want to go there with me?" Ice hesitates for a moment, and then he mews. "I'd love to. Is it a community or just another place to stay like the Sweetheart Village?" "A community," I admit, "the cats work together to help one another survive. Most of the cats there are outcasts and they find peace in the Alcove." "You're not an outcast," Ice mews when he meets my gaze. "Yes I am," I whisper, "Aura...the Clans...and even sometimes you! I've been rejected so many times...the Alcove was my only save haven." Ice walks over and curls his tail around me. "I'll make sure you're welcome wherever you go," he murmurs, "when we rid the society of their hatred, we can finally fit in together." "Together." I echo. "Lead the way," he purrs, "Show me the Alcove." We stand and Ice tidies up his den. We clear our the old bedding and we grab the leftover prey from yesterday night. "This can be our gift to the Alcove members for letting us stay," I suggest, "After all, we're about to barge in and ask if we can stay." "But you already belong there," Ice shrugs, "Though I guess we could do so." He picks up the hawk and I pick up the mouse. He curls his tail around mine and together we exit the den. Together. I like that word. I take him along the outskirts of Aura's territory and along the path where a lot of families live separately. Many of them tense when they see me but then they watch in amazement as I relax against Ice. One of the couples even shouted an encouragement to us. "Keep it up!" I had giggled and Ice shot me an amused look. "I think all the couples here think we're cracked," I murmur in his ear, "Never would they have imagined that we would be together." "Well we've proved them wrong." I'm grateful that Ice is here with me, to help mend a broken heart. To help me realize what I can become if I don't let my dark thoughts overwhelm me. He's truly something that can make me change forever. I want this to last for all eternity. The Alcove's camp comes in sight. I beckon to Ice and we stroll inside, our tails still intertwined. Greta glancecs up and so do other cats. "Sari?" she asks, "Where have you been?" "I've just been...out," I smile at Ice, "This is Ice. He's my boyfriend." Ice turns a little red at the mention of "boyfriend". A rather familiar tom lashes his tail. I try to ignore Dash. The young tom made me feel uncomfortable. I didn't like him like I loved Ice. He was just my friend, after all. I'd apologize later. "Hello, Ice," Greta greets the white tom, "What brings you here?" "My girlfriend," he replies smoothly, "she invited me to join you guys. We brought you prey too." "Mind you," Dash mews curtly, "We can hunt for ourselves." Ice turns and so do I. Dash is glaring at Ice. "If you're really her 'girlfriend', then why did she come to the Alcove alone the first time? You couldn't have hooked up in this one night that Sari disapeared." Ice glances at him coolly. "We were separated for a few reasons," he mews, "But we were together before." Dash doesn't really buy his answer but Greta interrupts. "Dash, that's enough. We welcome all cats, don't we? And of course, Sari has been a great addition to our family, and so will Ice, I'm sure. Don't be so rude." Dash looks miffed but he turns away and disappears into what used to be our den. Greta waves his tail at Dash's den. "Since you've slept there before, Sari, why don't you and Ice settle there? Maybe you guys can get acquainted with Dash and cool him down." I groan mentally but I nod anyways. "Thanks, Greta." I lead Ice over to the den and slowly walk in. Dash jerks his head up. "What are you two doing here?" he grumbles, "I'm not sharing a den with you two lovebirds." "Greta told us to come here," I mew quietly, "Dash, can I talk to you?" Dash bites his lip. He glares at Ice, who just backs away and leaves the den. I stare longingly after Ice but I manage to turn back to the young tom and mew. "I'm sorry." "No need," he shakes his head, "You've warned me before, but you also told me that you weren't together with anyone. Didn't he make you a nervous wreck?" I sigh. "It's a long story, Dash. But what's more important is that he's making me better again." "And I didn't?" Dash asks bitterly, "I tried to be the best friend I could be to you, Sari, but I can assure you. Ice is up to no good. If he's broken your heart once, he'll do it again. There's no way he'll stay for you when he obviously never cared about you in the first place." "You don't know Ice!" I snap, "You don't get to judge him just because of what I've told you before." Dash looks away. "Whatever, I should have known that I would never be able to have you." My gaze softens. "Look, Dash, I never wanted to hurt you, but I also never loved you. My heart will always remain with Ice, regardless of our relationship." Dash waves his tail and he looks sorry too. "I know. I'm pretty sure the 'love' I felt was just a mere crush. I'll get over it soon." Before he can settle down into his nest, I lay my tail on his shoulder. "You'll find someone better," I murmur, "That I promise." When Ice finally returns to the den, Dash and I are already settled in our nests. Ice curls up next to me and in that instant, I know that I must break away from the Clans, and from Aura's group for now. The Alcove is where I belong now. And that's my decision.